NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Film Movement Blu-ray (June 2025): Film Movement has transferred Arturo Ripstein's Time to Die to Blu-ray. It is on a dual-layered disc with a maxed out bitrate. Time to Die employs a stark, high-contrast visual style that enhances its somber tone. Wide shots of the desolate Mexican town (with its barren streets and adobe buildings) evoke a sense of emptiness, while tight close-ups on characters’ faces (especially Sayago’s weary eyes) convey emotional weight. The black-and-white palette (a practical choice given the budget) adds a timeless quality, aligning the film with classic Westerns while distinguishing it from the Technicolor epics of the era. The 1080P transfer (free from damage and dirt) showcases consistent contrast and clarity with a heavy look that preserves the movie’s gritty aesthetic. There is a soft waxiness. I would prefer more grain, but this thickness doesn't feel like digitization to me. There are plenty of instances of depth. I wasn't displeased with the HD presentation. 

NOTE: We have added 54 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE.

On their Blu-ray, Film Movement uses a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original Spanish language. The sound design of Time to Die is sparse, relying on naturalistic sounds (hoofbeats, wind, a smashed mirror, creaking doors) to immerse viewers in the town’s arid and isolated setting. Gunshots are sharp and jarring, used sparingly to maximize impact. Carlos Jiménez Mabarak’s (Poison Foe the Fairies) score is understated with melancholic guitar and string motifs that underscore the film’s tragic tone without overwhelming the drama. Silence plays a significant role, particularly in confrontational scenes, amplifying the characters’ internal conflicts. The minimalistic approach, while effective, lacks the memorable themes of iconic Western scores, reflecting the film’s focus on psychological depth over genre flourish. The lossless exports this cleanly without flaws. Film Movement offers optional English subtitles (for both the feature and the Spanish language commentary--see sample below) on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

Film Movement's Blu-ray extras package is modest but insightful, tailored to fans of Ripstein and Mexican cinema. The audio commentary by director Arturo Ripstein and actor Enrique Rocha (in Spanish with English subtitles) is a standout, offering illuminating reflections on the film’s production, Ripstein’s influences (including Luis Buñuel,) and the challenges of working with a literary script at age 21. A 7-minute video introduction by director Alex Cox (author of 10,000 Ways to Die: A Director's Take on the Spaghetti Western) provides engaging context, detailing Ripstein’s background as Buñuel’s assistant and the film’s place in Mexican Westerns. The short, re-issued trailer captures the film’s tense atmosphere, while a 20-page collector’s booklet includes essays by film curator Carlos A. Gutierrez (co-founder of Cinema Tropical) and film critic Erica Shultz, exploring the film’s cultural significance and literary pedigree.

Arturo Ripstein's Time to Die interrogates the futility of vengeance, portraying it as a destructive cycle that consumes generations. The film is steeped in a fatalistic worldview, a hallmark of writer Gabriel García Márquez’s magical realism and screenwriter Carlos Fuentes’ existential concerns. Time to Die emerged during a transitional period for Mexican cinema, following the decline of the Golden Age (1930s-1950s) and preceding the New Mexican Cinema of the 1970s. Produced by Alameda Films, it reflects the industry’s shift toward more auteur-driven projects, supported by government funding and intellectual circles. Ripstein, a protégé of Luis Buñuel, brought a modernist sensibility to the Western, influenced by his mentor’s surrealism and social critique. The involvement of literary giants García Márquez and Fuentes (who adapted the story from an earlier script) elevated the film’s prestige, aligning it with the Latin American Boom’s emphasis on myth and identity. The Film Movement Blu-ray does an excellent job celebrating Ripstein’s legacy, making it a must-own for fans of revisionist Westerns, Mexican cinema, or the literary contributions of Gabriel García Márquez and Carlos Fuentes. Strongly recommended.

Gary Tooze